I received a free copy from NetGalley. A lot of characters, over a long period of time, and the author jumps around with both. I several times had to back up and figure out who was being talked about and during what time period were we now in as well. I thought the ending still left several things unfinished with so many characters to tie things up with. Over all a good story, but one you want to be able to give your full attention to.

Thanks for the chance to read before publication, for which I've promised an honest review. The Clockmaker's Daughter requires a willing suspension, that taxed my ability to disbelieve. Kate Morton is a good writer, with an avid following. However, her plotting and characterizations, while evocative leave me with a sense of overworked "cliché". If you are into ghostly interpretations of events that happened over generations - The Clockmaker's Daughter may be your cup of tea - just not mine.

According to Goodreads, this book is “a story of murder, mystery, and thievery; of art, love and loss. And flowing through its pages like a river, is the voice of a woman who stands outside time, whose name has been forgotten by history, but who has watched it all unfold…” of course, the woman is refers to is the titular Clockmaker’s Daughter. However, her voice is hardly the only one we hear in this book, and the many other voices spread across time, beginning in the mid-1800s through the 21st century.

This is actually the first Morton I’ve read, even though I know we have one or two of her novels on our shelves; I’ve simply never gotten around to reading any of them. This is obviously a hole in my literary education, because what I found here was quite unexpected on several levels.

To begin with, I had no idea that Morton’s writing style was such that I would find the prose totally riveting, luscious, and appealing, while also being deceptively simple. This type of artistry is exactly what I love to find in these types of novels, particularly ones that are as epic as this one. To my mind, this is the type of writing that seems to lend itself especially well to the historical fiction genre. Of course, not every writer can achieve this level of allure in their writing, so I’m sorry I never read Morton before.

I was also surprised about how little the inclusion of the unrealistic parts of the story bothered me with this novel. Most of my regular readers know that I don’t care much for fantasy books, and while I can handle a bit of magical realism here and there, I don’t generally go in for horror or ghost stories. However, despite finding a ghost early on in this book, once again, I was unwilling to quit reading this book because of the prominence of an apparition being a major protagonist here. Once again, Morton’s literary style eclipsed that prejudice in me, and yet again, that kept me reading.

Another surprising element here is how Morton gives us such a wide-ranging cast of characters, not only from across the years, but also within each of the eras where the actions take place. Often something like this can be confusing, and I must admit that there were times when I wasn’t sure who was whom, or where these people fit into the story. In fact, putting the pieces of this puzzle together wasn’t easy at all, and Morton only starts fitting them together for the readers about three-quarters of the way through the book, with the real answers only coming very near the ending. This can be both a good and a bad thing. On the one hand, being overly confused might turn off some readers. On the other hand, this increases the mysterious aspects of the plot, and I pride myself in figuring out “who done it” far too early in many books, which is the reason I hardly read mystery novels anymore. In fact, the former is more often the case for me, but if you can keep me guessing about what really happened, then you’ve got me hooked. Of course, add that to such brilliant prose and I’m in seventh heaven.

I should also mention that this is no small work of fiction, as it hovers around 600 pages, which is easily 15-20% longer than most of the books I read. Of course, as already noted, when a book is this well written, we don’t often pay that much attention to the length (and if you’ve got it on your eReader instead of holding it in your hands, that makes it all the less daunting to tackle). However, the exceedingly large confluence of characters, and the many eras that this book encompasses, despite their very valuable contributions to the plot, does force me to lower my rating of this book. I can still recommend this book warmly, especially to lovers of historical fiction, people with a good measure of patience, and people who like a good ghost story. I’m not necessarily all of those types of people, so I’m going to give it four out of five stars, almost solely because of the excellent writing.

After reading The Secret Keeper I became a huge Kate Morton fan. When I saw she had a new book coming out I just had to get my hands on it. And as with The Secret Keeper, she does not disappoint in The Clockmaker's Daughter.

"People value shiny stones and lucky charms, but they forget that the most powerful talismans of all are the stories we tell to ourselves and to others."

Kate Morton is a beautiful, gifted and magical storyteller. She mixes romance, mystery and murder in an incredible historic setting that dances across decades to make a magnificent novel. She writes the story using multiple voices over multiple time frames, yet she ties them all together with a single thread that doesn't fully materialize until the end. (Which makes you not want to put the book down).

While the heart of this novel is a breath taking love story, all the additional elements she includes (a murder, a mystery, a huge cast of characters) makes this a profoundly moving and captivating novel to read. Kate Morton has one of the most beautiful prose of any author I've read. I just drank in this novel and walked away feeling I had an intimate connection with many of the characters. I am in awe at how she was able to weave their storylines so tightly together. It's brilliant!!!!!!

My thanks to Kate Morton, Atria Books and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When it comes to an author like Kate Morton readers should be well aware that they will find great writing when picking up a new book and that was still the case with The Clockmaker’s Daughter. However, even with lovely writing sometimes things just don’t work for some readers and that would be my dilemma with this one.

The Clockmaker’s Daughter is a historical fiction read told from multiple points of view over the course of decades. In the present Elodie Winslow is going through an old satchel when she comes across a few items that draw her interest. Readers are then taken back to the mid 1800s to the Birchwood Manor and the mystery that surrounds it.

Now, normally I am one that can love a story with multiple characters and multiple timelines however it all depends on the way things are done. With this story the author has taken multiple to a whole new level in the fact I found it hard to keep track of so many characters coming into the story. Sometimes I would get the feeling I may need to take notes and then reading feels more like homework than relaxation.

With so much going on I had a hard time connecting to the characters and story with struggling to keep up too. Quite often I wouldn’t know who I was following and for me I prefer a clearer style to follow. In the end I’d say this one just wasn’t my cup of tea but I’m sure some readers will love it.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I like Kate Morton novels but always walk away feeling 150-200 pages could be cut out.

They are brilliant and tie together so well and with such care but I rarely fail to get antsy at some point. This book was the same experience. Still a great read but felt forever-ish.

Thanks to Negalley for the ARC.

A romantic love story, a mystery and a murder

Birchwood Manor is located near the Thames and it is at the center of this story and it also holds the truth about what happened one summer in 1862. The house is like a character and has "a voice" that whispers to the reader and makes connections that won't be revealed until later. I kept asking myself, "who is speaking"? That will be revealed later.

The story spans from the 1860's to present day and artist, Edward Radcliffe is at the heart of the mystery. He has found the love of his life, but will his heart will be broken? This part of the story felt old-fashioned and romantic. The characters in the present day story felt very modern and I was intrigued to find out what the connections between past and present were.

This is my first Kate Morton book and it was such an atmospheric, detailed and absorbing tale. There was intrigue, mystery and a rich setting that I could picture perfectly in my mind. I thought the characters were interesting and I wanted to learn what would happen to them in the end. This is not a fast paced page-turner, it is more a slow brewing mystery. I took my time and enjoyed this one.

Yes, there are lots of characters and two time periods, but the author was able to capture my imagination and kept me turning the pages to learn the secrets of the mansion and what the many clues that were revealed along the way would lead to.

I enjoyed getting immersed in the characters, unraveling the extensive plot and I savored the rich details of this beautifully written novel.

Thanks to Atria for my copy. Review will post to my blog on publication date 10/02/2018.

I’m so sad to even post this review, as I had very high hopes for this book. Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me, and very much lost my interest in it... so I had to DNF it. Which, is actually somewhat rare of me to even do.

Here’s what didn’t work for me. I felt as if the story was dry, the storyline and central mystery wasn’t intriguing or compelling, and there was simply too much jumping around between characters and timelines that it felt choppy to me.

Nevertheless, I’m still happy to have had the opportunity to review this book. Thank you so much NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the free review e-copy.

I LOVE Kate Morton's books, she is a wonderful storyteller and I wait excitedly for each next release. However, this one just did not do it for me. I feel that it had plenty of potential, the story just did not follow through the way I wanted it to. I wish there would have been more romance and heat - in both the past and present parts of the story and more to the mystery. The huge whodunit was a total let down and I abhorred the ending. I felt that Birdie deserved much better. I still love Kate Morton and will buy her books happily!

I just reviewed The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton. #TheClockmakersDaughter #NetGalley

To appreciate any Kate Morton book is to imagine yourself on a long trip, a vacation say, where each day you enter different time periods, meet indelible people and discover the secrets of their lives. You do this willingly and with great enthusiasm, because every word you read is haunting and melodious. The Clockmaker’s Daughter must be approached this way.
As the introduction says: “This is a story of murder, mystery and thievery; and of art, love and loss, that begins in the 1860’s and continues to the present day.” (My paraphrasing.) Kate Morton’s writing has never been more beautiful, nor more descriptive. Yes, there is a huge cast of characters, but they are meaningful, so connected and so well developed.
Elodie, the archivist in 2017 London, uncovers an old leather satchel containing an artist’s sketchbook, and a small, framed picture of a beautiful, captivating, Victorian woman. Elodie’s mother was a famed cellist that died in a tragic car accident with a fellow musician when Elodie was very young; a painting is discovered of her mother and the musician said to be done days before their deaths that links them to Briarwood Manor. The house, Briarwood Manor that links everyone, from the1860 artist, Edward Radcliffe, who owned the house all the way to the present day, where someone has been watching everything.
If I continued to try to describe this incredible book in one review, I could never do it justice in a few paragraphs. So, your time would be better spent reading the book, yes? Of course.
I highly recommend you plan to be totally absorbed in words of sumptuous intrigue. Surely, a Kate Morton classic.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Publishers, and Kate Morton.

This book by Kate Morton takes place in England , beginning in 1862.
In the summer of 1862, artist Ed Radcliffe leads a group of friends to the banks of the Thames River. Plans go awry and there is a murder.
The story is picked up a century later - and family ties, many twists and turns, plus loads and loads of major and minor characters this is quite the melodrama.
I found the novel to be long-winded and a bit confusing. It did not hold my interest as I would have liked.

The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton (10/9/18 Atria; free copy from publisher) swept me away and made me exclaim "this is why I love books!"
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My Summary:
In the summer of 1862, young artist Edward Radcliffe invites his friends to spend a month at his newly acquired and utterly enchanting home, Birchwood Manor. The painters, photographers, muses, lovers, and friends plan to spend the time creating and inspiring one another. Unfortunately, their idyllic stay is cut short by one woman's murder, while another woman (and a priceless family heirloom) have disappeared. Over 150 years later, London archivist Elodie Winslow uncovers a leather satchel containing a photograph of a woman in Victorian clothing and an artist’s sketchbook containing a drawing of Birchwood Manor. When Elodie sees the sketch of the house it feels familiar--but why?
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My Review:
Spanning over 150 years and combining multiple storylines, Kate Morton had me invested in every character and totally immersed in every setting. This is one of the best books I've read this year and while it is the first book I've read by Kate Morton, it will not be my last!

The Clockmaker’s Daughter opens with a brief prologue that introduces its central mystery. There’s a vague, hazy notion of some people in a house, a gunshot and the implication that a death has occurred. The book then skips around in time with various narrators and points of view, from 1860 to present day, in order to tell the story of what happened at Birchwood Manor such a long time ago.

I requested this book because I like mysteries and historical fiction, had heard of the author and the premise sounded fairly creative — beyond that I didn’t know what to expect.

Unfortunately, in the end, I really struggled through this book. I had a hard time getting interested in the book once I realized that the initial mystery hadn't grabbed my attention. The opening scenes and section — a gunshot in a house, and a woman later finding a satchel with a photo and sketchbook — didn't present a compelling mystery for me.

Even once the clues start slowly feeling revealed, I found the writing to be ill suited for my tastes. While there were definitely parts with quite lovely imagery and vivid prose, I think there was just too much detail and tone-wise the drama felt forced and overwrought. I felt like I was constantly being bombarded with backstory while being drip-fed clues and things to move the plot forward.

Perhaps I was not the right reader for this book, as I think some of the things that made it difficult for me to enjoy this book are a question of taste. For example, I like mysteries that are quick on their feet, and this is not really that kind of book. Thank you to the publishing for allowing me to give this book a shot.

An old house, an old sketch book, an old murder, an old photograph, and a lot of mysteries. Who doesn’t love all of those?



THE CLOCKMAKER’S DAUGHTER has it all. 



THE CLOCKMAKER’S DAUGHTER goes back and forth in time looking for clues to connect Elodie’s present-day questions and findings to the time when her mother was alive and how a country manor and other mysteries seem to have a connection to her mother. She KNOWS there is some connection with everything she finds circling around Birchwood Manor.



Ms. Morton definitely makes you “work” for the clues. Her writing is beautiful as always, but the story line was difficult to follow.

Each chapter began without the identification of the person talking so the reader has to figure out who has appeared on the scene now. 



I always enjoy Ms. Morton's book because of the gothic atmosphere and marvelous connection between the characters and story line, but THE CLOCKMAKER'S DAUGHTER had me confused most of the time. Finding the connections was similar to solving a difficult math problem.



Once the chapter got started and you became interested in the story line, it was over and another thought and character appeared.



I can't say I didn't like the book. THE CLOCKMAKER’S DAUGHTER had a skillfully constructed story line, but it wasn't an easy read.

Once you were connected, though, it all started to come together in her marvelous Kate Morton style with a brilliant ending.

I LOVE her books, her beautiful writing, and her involved story lines so I kept reading because I wanted to find out how it all fit together and what the ending would reveal. The revelations were marvelous as always.

Anyone who loves Kate Morton, who likes to unravel a book's story line, and who can wait until it all comes together will not want to miss reading THE CLOCKMAKER'S DAUGHTER. 4/5

This book was given to me as an ARC. All opinions are my own.

Kate Morton fans: the wait is almost over! I felt lucky to nab an eARC of this novel thanks to Netgalley.

First: the plot spans events from 1860 to the present day. The heart of the mystery surrounds a painter, his muse and lover, a priceless diamond, a ghost, and a murder. We bounce between time periods as the story—and the connection between the characters—is slowly revealed. .

Second: this is a long, looooong book with a leisurely pace. I enjoy that as long as the writing is good—and folks, the writing is excellent. Like a really good, expensive ice cream made with the best ingredients—delicious, the perfect taste and texture, but it slides down oh-so-easily. It reminded me of classic novels from bygone eras when readers had perhaps more patience and appreciated the slow unfurling of story and character. .

Next: Kate Morton made a name for herself not only with her gorgeous writing, meticulously researched historical details, and unique structure, but also with her Big Twists. Readers of this new novel will be pleased to see all the elements they expect, but may be disappointed by the lack of a huge surprising reveal at the end. For my part, I didn’t miss that. The “unbelievable twist” trend has had its day, in my opinion, and I’d rather read a solidly-plotted mystery than any sort of twist just to be gimmicky. The plot is well-paced, if slow, and toward the end I found myself unable to do anything but flip to the next page. .
If I have any complaints, it’s that the scope of the story is so broad (with multiple point of view characters spread across over 150 years) that it felt like as soon as I settled in with one character, we jumped to another. The title character, the clockmaker’s daughter, is the thread that holds it all together, and I found her a fascinating character.

Highly recommended for readers who enjoy slow-burn, character-driven historical mysteries with beautiful writing. Releases October 9!

A remarkable novel that tells the story of Lily Millington, an unlikely heroine who’s life (and death) influences many lives frim Birchwood Manor.

A chance meeting between an up-and-coming artist (Edward) and a reluctant con artist (Lily) lead to a consuming love affair with disasterous consequences. Told from Lily’s perspective, the reader meets many short-term inhabitants’ of Birchwood Manor and the connection they feel to the home and to Lily unfolds in the last gripping chapters of the book.

Told with exquisite detail, this story relies on well-developed characters and a complicated plot. The ending is masterful.

Kate Morton has long been a favorite, even amongst my top authors. As I have said before, her novels are masterpieces of narrative fiction. They are intricate and executed with aplomb. I know an author is highly-prized to me when my reaction to their work is anything less than five-stars because it feels like both a surprise and just intrinsically wrong, somehow. But I have to admit that while The Clockmaker's Daughter contains nearly all the classic Morton hallmarks of a great read, this particular set of interwoven stories didn't resonate with me as much as almost all of her previous novels did. I still fell into her intricate style of storytelling eventually, but it wasn't as complete of an immersion; for once, this is a Morton that could stand to use a bit of editing down. In a six hundred page book, especially one so dependent on the slow reveal of authorial sleight of hand, the underdeveloped aspects of the story stand out in retrospect.

The tale of Birdie and Leonard and Elodie and Tip and all the others connected to the manor at Birchwood is by no means a "bad" book -- Morton isn't even capable of that with her weakest effort to date, 2015's The Lake House -- but the beginning of this lags, one of the POVs is rather dull and underdeveloped each time it's visited, and the addition of the supernatural elements detracted from the novel's other various strongpoints. Dense and slow-moving as is the author's usual style, the plot to The Clockmaker's Daughter takes a long time to engage the reader and even Kate's undeniable and present talents for atmosphere and mystery can't entirely compensate for it.

The cast is a myriad of characters with tangential connections to one another across time and distance. Their slowly revealed relationships make the pages spent interesting for the most part; Morton's quite adept at uncovering the hidden facets of people, this time those related to the mysterious photograph whose discovery incited all the ensuing revelations. Leonard is the exception to the rule; his chapters have emotional resonance but his voice is dull and the events he narrated aren't the most pivotal. Despite his relevance to both plot and other characters, he is a charisma void on the page. The supernatural additions of <spoiler>the 'Night of the Following' (maybe??) and even Birdie herself, charming as she was</spoiler> didn't work and also felt unnecessary. One could have been excised completely and the other could have featured in a more mundane sense. They felt like a rare misfire from an experienced author.

The Clockmaker's Daughter is the author's sixth to be so centered on dual timelines across history and connected to a mysterious house/manor/castle and each is unique gothic tale of secrets, family, and how the past lives on in the present.Though not the complete Morton experience possible and not without a few missteps in its hundreds of pages and several rotating POVs, The Clockmaker's Daughter is still a solidly good novel and with well-rendered characters, an enveloping atmosphere, a intriguing set of mysteries, and creative plotting tying it all together. It's a decent idea of what this author is capable of doing even if it left me craving a reread for the more polished The Distant Hours and The House at Riverton.

While I don’t always like books that travel back and forth in time, I can make an exception here. “The Clockmaker’s Daughter” held my interest from the get-go.
Elodie Winslow is an archivist working in London in 2017, and when she discovers a photo and sketch book in an old bag of artist Edward Radcliffe’s things, she becomes intrigued when she realizes that she has a personal connection with Birchwood, Edward’s home.
Birchwood is now occupied by Lily, the ghost who is the daughter of a clockmaker. She has been there for many years, watches everything that happens and once in a while interferes if she feels it’s needed. Currently, her “housemate” is Jack, a photo journalist.
We visit several different times over the course of more than 150 years, learning about many of the inhabitants of the house and what and why certain events happened.

It may be because I'm a librarian, but I cannot resist a book with a main character who is a "modern day archivist." This one does not disappoint! Our archivist discovers a satchel of documents which leads her on a quest to discover their origins. We go back and forth through different time periods, learning much along the way. Always intriguing -- Kate Morton is a great author.

I'm a big fan of Kate Morton, so I'm not sure what happened to with this book! I didn't care for the writing style, the characters, the plot, none of it! Everything about this should've been right up my reading alley, but I didn't care for any of it.